Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Orange Free State" and "Transvaal".
4918 Pte. A. Petrie, 2nd Dragoons.
Alexander Morrison Petrie was born in the Parish of St Cuthbert's in Edinburgh around the year 1881. His parents, John and Ellen Petrie, already had five daughters and are recorded on the 1881 Census as living in Canongate, Edinburgh. By the time of the next Census in 1891, John Petrie had probably died and Alexander was living with his mother and four sisters at 4 St John Street, Canongate, where his mother was employed as a housekeeper. At the age of 18, he was working as a clerk but must have decided that life in the British Army would offer a more exciting alternative. On 26th March 1900, he enlisted for service in the Dragoons of the Line, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. His Attestation Papers describe him as over 5' 8" in height, weighing 144lbs and with brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He also had various tattoos on his arms and hands. According to his family, he "fought like a tiger, sang like a nightingale and drank like a fish."
In March of the following year, Pte. Petrie was sent to join the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) in South Africa. The Greys had been in South Africa since December 1899 and, as part of General French's campaign to relieve the besieged town of Kimberley, had fought in the battles of Paardeberg, Driefontein and Diamond Hill. By 1901, the Boer War had become more of a guerrilla campaign as highly mobile and well-armed parties of Boers continued to evade and harass the British Forces. Cavalry had an important role to play in this kind of mobile warfare.
In October 1901, Alexander Petrie was tried by Field General Court Martial, convicted of "drunkenness on the line of march" and sentenced to 36 days imprisonment. He was returned to duty on 23rd December. One week later, a party of the Greys was ambushed at Groenfontein and lost 5 killed and 13 wounded. The fighting was far from finished. On 18th February 1902, there was a sharp engagement with the Boers at Klippan, during which a squadron of Greys was cut off, surrounded and partially captured. By the end of May, however, the war was over.
In March of the following year, Pte. Petrie was sent to join the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) in South Africa. The Greys had been in South Africa since December 1899 and, as part of General French's campaign to relieve the besieged town of Kimberley, had fought in the battles of Paardeberg, Driefontein and Diamond Hill. By 1901, the Boer War had become more of a guerrilla campaign as highly mobile and well-armed parties of Boers continued to evade and harass the British Forces. Cavalry had an important role to play in this kind of mobile warfare.
In October 1901, Alexander Petrie was tried by Field General Court Martial, convicted of "drunkenness on the line of march" and sentenced to 36 days imprisonment. He was returned to duty on 23rd December. One week later, a party of the Greys was ambushed at Groenfontein and lost 5 killed and 13 wounded. The fighting was far from finished. On 18th February 1902, there was a sharp engagement with the Boers at Klippan, during which a squadron of Greys was cut off, surrounded and partially captured. By the end of May, however, the war was over.
Alexander Petrie was to stay in South Africa for two more years. In April 1904, he was again on trial, this time for "striking his superior officer" and he was sentenced to 112 days imprisonment with hard labour. Sent back to England in June, Alexander was discharged as "Incorrigible and Worthless" on 30th July 1904. He had served a total of 4 years and 127 days, of which 3 years and 89 days had been in South Africa. Because of the circumstances of his discharge, none of his service counted towards a pension and his Queen's South Africa Medal was forfeited.
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